San Diego Police Will Help Train Baja Tourist Police

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Mexican officials say a new police team will patrol the coastal corridor from Tijuana to Ensenada. Officials say San Diego police will help train the officers.

Mexican officials say a new police team will patrol the coastal corridor from Tijuana to Ensenada. Officials say San Diego police will help train the officers.

Mexican officials say the new police group will focus on protecting tourists who visit Baja California's coast.

Officials say the officers will speak English and Spanish.

San Diego Police officials will help train them and provide educational materials.

During the past few years, many U.S. tourists have avoided Baja California due to long border waits, the economic crisis and drug cartel violence. That contributed to record losses for Baja California's tourism industry last year.

Earlier this year, swine flu dealt the industry another blow, even though there were more cases in San Diego than in Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada.

The mayors of those three Mexican cities will join City of San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders early next week to sign a letter of intent to formalize the San Diego Police Department's participation.